stoneshms.jpg - 54764 Bytes
Our Priority,

Our Philosophy,

Our Position,

Our Programs,

Our Physical LocationOutside Links-

Baptist Bastion,

Books and Bibles Online,

HomeSchool Sailor,

Fundamentally Basic,

Religions & Cults,

More Christian ResourcesSupported Missions,

Other Missions,

World Church DirectoryRecent Additions to Our Site
Home PageSermons in Type,

Sermons on Tape,

Doctrinal WritingsOur Pastor,

Our PeopleAsk the Pastor,

Pastors Pen Online,

Memorization,

Daily Devotions
galley.gif - 2962 Bytes
......................
Ask the Pastor
......................
Pastor's Pen
......................
Memorization
......................


Quick Links
clear.gif - 808 Bytes
clear.gif - 808 BytesOur Priorities
clear.gif - 808 BytesOur Constitution
clear.gif - 808 BytesOur Pastor
clear.gif - 808 BytesOur Programs
clear.gif - 808 BytesOur Location
clear.gif - 808 BytesOur Missionaries

......................
Favorites
clear.gif - 808 Bytes
clear.gif - 808 BytesGoogle Search
clear.gif - 808 BytesAsk the Pastor
clear.gif - 808 BytesDoctrinal Writings
clear.gif - 808 BytesFresh Supplies

......................

Thank you for visiting. Please send spiritual comments to Pastor's Pen

......................

Please e-mail all other comments to WindJammer

......................

Ambassador Baptist Church
1926 Babcock Blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15209
(412)477-3210
clear.gif - 808 Bytes
   You Are Here: Bridge / Galley / Pastor's Pen / Pathways Through Paul
clear.gif - 808 Bytes
Pathways Through Paul Daily Devotional
clear.gif - 808 Bytes pp.gif - 1611 Bytes clear.gif - 808 Bytes
Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional

November 8
Click on verses for Full Scripture
previous - - - - - - - - - - next


Today's Pathway:


 II Corinthians 5:13-15
  1. For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
  2. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
  3. And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

His Majesty's Service

 Paul wrote in verse 11 that he desired to persuade men to believe in, and then follow, Christ. He writes in verse 13 that if people think he is crazy, then it's only because he is dealing with the truths of God. Apparently there were some that thought that Paul's teachings and behavior were madness. This was probably true of the false teachers in Corinth. We know that Festus said to him,

"Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad" (Acts 26:24).
Paul's response goes hand in hand with verse 13:
"I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness" (Acts 26:25).
When Paul taught sound doctrine, people thought he was nuts! However, his goal was to preach Jesus Christ and the Word of God correctly, and if people didn't agree, he kept preaching it anyway. He wrote in Galatians 1:10,
"For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."
What mattered first and foremost to Paul was serving the Lord. However, he adds in verse 13 that when he came across as having a sound mind ("sober") in his teaching he was doing it for the benefit of his hearers. Charles Hodge explains:
"The apostle means to say that whether he was extravagant or moderate, whether he exceeded the bounds of discretion, as his enemies asserted, or whether he was sober and discreet, it was not for himself. He had in view only the glory of God and the good of His church, and therefore the Corinthians might safely vindicate him from the aspersions of the false teachers."

 In the previous verses Paul had given several reasons for his faithful service to the Lord. Now He adds an additional reason: the love of Christ. While the expression could be interpreted as either Paul's love for Christ or as Christ's love for Paul, both of which should be motivators, the context indicates that he is speaking of Christ's love, not only for himself, but for the entire world. This love "constrained" Paul. The word constrained means to be held together or pressed together. It carries the idea of being hemmed in on both sides and was used for a traveler in a narrow passage or gorge, with a wall of rock on either side, unable to turn aside and able only to go straight on. His understanding of God's love, revealed not only in salvation, but throughout his entire Christian life, left him no room to veer to the side nor turn around, but forced him to keep pressing onward.

 Paul then speaks of the situation that all of mankind is in. If "God so loved the world" (John 3:16), and Christ died "for the sins of the whole world" (I John 2:2), then the entire world must be "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). And we know that Christ did die for all (verse 15), but not only so that believers could spend eternity in Heaven, but also so that they would no longer live for themselves, but live for Jesus. If Christ was willing to die for spiritually dead sinners, then shouldn't those of us who have received newness of life through salvation dedicate our lives to the One Who gave us life? I recently saw this quotation:

"Christ died our death for us so that we might live His life for Him".
Christ didn't save us just for our eternal life. He saved us for our life today, and tomorrow, and every day we have on earth until either death or the rapture take us home. And there is much that we need to do with our life, because if Christ died for all the world, then all the world is dead, and someone needs to get the Gospel to them!

 Paul determined that he was going to respond to the love of Christ to the best of his ability. Have you and I made the same decision?

Pastor Mark J Montgomery

 previous - - - - - - - - - - next



Return to Top
Return to The Pastor's Pen
Return to The Galley

Pastor's Pen image by
Lutz Peter from Pixabay

Disclaimer: Use of images is not necessarily
an endorsements of all the authors materials.
His Majesty's Service
Home of Ambassador Baptist Church
1926 Babcock Blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15209
(412)477-3210
clear.gif - 808 Bytes